1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer mouse pads; and more particularly, to a multi-function, computer mouse pad having detachable surfaces in multiple sheet form.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The computer mouse pad has become a standard peripheral for the personal computer. It typically functions in combination with the computer mouse to facilitate and improve the accuracy and efficiency of mouse manipulation. Mouse pads also prevent desks and tabletops on which the computer resides from being scratched by the mouse.
One of the problems with conventional mouse pads is the tendency thereof to collect scratches, stains, dirt and other disfigurements during use. Such blemishes and disfigurements not only mar the appearance of the mouse pad, but interfere with its tracking ability. Lint and other objects picked up by the rollers of the mechanical mouse accumulates on rollers housed inside the mouse. Inasmuch as these rollers support the track ball, the accumulation of lint thereon adversely affects roller-track ball contact. Tracking motion, and curser control, as well as free motion of the mouse are impaired. The mouse's tracking ball fails to freely track across the mouse pad surface; and curser control, required for accurate location of the mouse pointer on the computer screen, is lost or diminished.
A significant reduction or increase in surface friction or texture of the mouse pad surface occurs sooner or later, depending mainly on the pad's surface construction and the usage to which it is subjected. Any bunching or horizontal shifting in plane of the mouse pad surface results in enhanced friction and poor rolling of the track ball. Decreased friction occasioned by contamination of the surface causes the track ball to slip rather than roll. Variations in the quality of the surface of the mouse pad change the friction characteristics of the track ball. Tracking ball movement is restricted, and tends to worsen over time, until the mouse becomes virtually useless in contact with the pad surface. Few problems are more maddening to the computer operator than the loss of curser control imposed by imperfect roller ball tracking. This importance of resolving this problem is demonstrated by the extensive varieties of commercial mouse pads touting diverse surface constructions said to provide restriction-free mouse tracking.
Mouse pad and note pad combinations are known in the art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,876,010 and 5,971,340 to Murphy disclose a combination mouse pad and writing pad in which a plurality of sheets of paper are secured together and further secured to a chip board base. Each sheet has a top surface textured by the presence of a plurality of micro scales thermo-graphically printed over substantially the entire top surface to define a working surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,168 to Holt discloses a combination computer mouse pad and note pad that includes a plurality of sheets of paper, for providing a work surface upon which notes can be written and a computer mouse can be operated. The sheets are free to move laterally. As a consequence, the sheets tend to become deformed, since damage thereto by the trackball extends well beyond the top-most sheet. Furthermore, the indentations and contamination produced thereon by writing severely roughens the unsupported sheet surface of the mouse pad, compromising the mouse's tracking ability.
Canadian Patent CA2244950 to Lurani, et al. discloses a notebook or similar paper element that comprises a plurality of bound pages provided with a limited-friction surface. It comprises, among other components, an embossed plastic material and a second page comprising a layer in an expanded thermoplastic material.
With these devices, the writing tends to contaminate the mouse roller ball thereby inhibiting proper mouse tracking.
Canadian Patent CA2202007 to Hauptman discloses a computer mouse pad comprising a monolayer structure material of predetermined thickness having an upper surface of a smooth texture. The upper surface is also capable of absorbing unwanted residues deposited thereon during usage; as a result, preventing residues from being picked up by the roller ball. Eventually though, the surface of Houpman's mouse pad will wear or be contaminated, and will need to be replaced.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,584 to Suzuki et al. discloses an adhesive seal and tape for sealing. A laminated product is formed by the application of a strong adhesive to one side of a thin-leaf, extremely fragile material, which is thereafter bonded to a strong supporting sheet. This supported laminated structure prevents the breakage of the extremely fragile layer. Any displacement of the tape in a package by secret pilferage is indicated by the breakage of the extremely fragile layer of the laminate. The device of the Suzuki patent uses sheets permanently bonded with different strength characteristics. Due to the permanent nature of the adhesive bond, the sheet cannot be detached from the thin-leaf, fragile material. Consequently, no provision is made by the Suzuki et al. device for periodic refreshing of the sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,545 to Garabedian discloses a method of laminating plastic sheets. It uses a plurality of plastic layers which are laminated under heat and pressure with at least all but one of the plastic layers being gas permeable, so that the gas trapped between the layers can be vented during the lamination process. These multiple layers are plastic sheets, which are permanently bonded together by the application of heat and pressure, and do not provide mouse pad functionality.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,735 to Bright et al. discloses a document carrier form for scanning and microfilming operations. It uses a pocketed document carrier, which has a transparent plastic film first part and a second part composed of white paper. The document in the pocket is fed through optical scanning equipment. The second part, comprising white paper, has an optimum paper weight of 70 pounds, although it is also contemplated that white bond paper having 20–24 pounds paper weight may be used (col. 3 lines 31–35). A document carrier having the Bright et al. construction contains no more than a single sheet, which is loosely disposed within a pocket without any bonding whatsoever.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,781 to Kulpers discloses a computer mouse pad composed of a polyvinyl chloride upper layer, an intermediate crease resistant plastic layer, and a bottom layer functioning as an anti-skid layer in contact with the ground or a working table. These layers are welded together along the periphery (col. 1 lines 53–61) or joined permanently together by gluing, sticking or luting. (col. 1 lines 59–60). Once joined, the plastic layers cannot be separated. No provision is made for removing the top layer to refresh the surface of the mouse pad.
UK patent application GB 2289520 to Higgs discloses a mouse pad in which a multitude of sheets are glued at the edges to create a mouse pad. Each sheet can be removed whenever necessary to expose a clean new sheet on the mouse pad. Since the glue is only present on the edges, each sheet is not completely supported, and the sheets migrate during use, causing them to become displaced from each other. Glue thickness tends to become overly cumulative on the edges. The edge portions become thicker than the center portion, preventing proper support within the central portion of the sheets—the very place wherein the mouse track ball rolls. In addition, the lack of support provided at the central portion of the sheets tends to cause deformation and crinkling of the paper.
UK patent application GB2307445 to Webb discloses a computer mouse mat comprising a notepad. The notepad is supported on a card back 5 with a stack of papers bonded together along adjacent edges. Bonding is restricted to the full length of the bottom edge 3 and left hand edge. The sheets are made with paperweight greater than 70 gsm (page 5 line 23) or made from non-absorbent films, which are non-wrinkling. Each sheet of papers is bonded along the edges by applying adhesive to the edge of the sheets. Alternatively the surface of each sheet is bonded to the adjacent sheet surface along the edges (page 2 lines 9–16). Inasmuch as the glue bonding the edges is placed between the sheets of the notepad, the thickness of the glue represents the separation between the sheets. Such separation produces a gap between the central portion of each sheet and the sheet immediately therebeneath. This gap results in poor sheet support, particularly within the central portion. Without proper sheet support, track ball movement is impaired and impressions from writing instruments damage or mar the surface of the sheet for sustaining track ball motion or impressions by a writing instrument. In such cases, the regions of the stacked sheets directly below the tracking ball are oftentimes displaced horizontally and bunch up, preventing accurate movement of the track ball. Moreover, Webb's use of the pad for writing roughens the unsupported sheets of the note pad surface, preventing smooth motion of the trackball.
At least one mouse pad on the market avoids mechanical surface tracking by a mouse roller ball. The pad is especially suited for use with an optical sensing element, and is characterized a smooth pad surface. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,502 to Bristol, et al., discloses a pad, adapted for use with an optical mouse. The pad includes a substantially transparent sheet having a pattern of spaced dots on one surface thereof.
There remains a need in the art for a computer mouse pad which can be used with a variety of mechanical mouse tracking devices, to accomplish roller ball tracking, curser location and mouse manipulation in an accurate, reliable manner over a prolonged period of time.